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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25252735">city of steel</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/querxes/pseuds/querxes'>querxes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>small town, sad song [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Divorce, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, M/M, it doesn't get better this time around</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:41:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,229</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25252735</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/querxes/pseuds/querxes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>I still love you, Dave. <em>That was what Jack wanted to say in return.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Instead, what he said was, “Me too.” </em>
</p>
<p>Small towns are hard, but big cities are harder.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>David Jacobs/Jack Kelly, background Spot Conlon/Racetrack Higgins</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>small town, sad song [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1825099</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>city of steel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Interpolations/gifts">Interpolations</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I am so sorry.<br/>@Interpolations, I am sorry to you especially.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Being invited to a divorce party but not the same person’s previous wedding was an interesting little moment in Jack’s life.</p>
<p>Jack had pulled out the little letter from his mailbox and was instantly suspicious of the fact that it was not from the government or the military, or insurances or taxes or other various bills. </p>
<p>The second thing he noticed was the name and address in the corner, which was not a shock in the least but he found it strange that Sarah hadn’t just called him. The fact that she even knew his actual address was even the slightest bit surprising to him. He dropped all the other mail on the kitchen table and examined the back of it one more time, just to be sure.</p>
<p>Then he opened it up to see <em> that. </em></p>
<p>
  <b> <em>He’s finally free and he’s back in town, it’s time to celebrate!</em> </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b> <em>You are cordially invited to</em> </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b> <em>David’s Divorce Party</em> </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b> <em>Saturday, August 7 | 7 pm-12 am | The Jacobs Residence </em> </b>
</p>
<p><b> <em>RSVP by July 31 to </em> </b> <b> <em>sazjacobs@gmail.com</em> </b> <b> <em> or call/text Sarah Jacobs</em> </b></p>
<p>The pit in Jack’s chest plummeted through the floor. He had no idea he could be so sickened by flowery lettering, especially when it was done as tastefully as it was.</p>
<p>He <em> knew </em> David got married a long time ago, everyone else did too, but no one ever saw invitations. David was married to a guy named Brock back in the city with apparently a <em> very </em>select group of individuals, the likes of which were immediate family and that was it. Everyone stopped talking about him. It was like he disappeared, and he practically did.</p>
<p>There was a point of time when David was still in university, around his sophomore year, where he found a boyfriend. David didn’t talk about him much, and it stung Jack to even think about it, so it was okay that they would just beat around the bush. It wasn’t until David’s junior year that he stopped calling and texting and facetiming Jack and nearly everyone else. It was strange. It was concerning. Then it <em> hurt, </em>because none of the things that mattered back then did now. </p>
<p>Jack couldn’t bring himself to care about the fact that Davey could’ve hated him, judged him, belittled him for admitting to being madly in love with him because Davey never would’ve in the first place, and now it didn’t matter because he was gone. Davey had turned into David Jacobs, someone who left for the city and didn’t come back, not once. Then he was married, and Jack was sure he owned a million sweater-vests and a thousand degrees saying he was a successful, practicing lawyer at age twenty-five with a cat and dog and maybe some kids in the future. </p>
<p>The fact was, David had forgotten him.</p>
<p>But then there was the way Sarah rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly at the slightest mention of David’s husband, the way Esther and Mayer’s smiles grew tight, the way Les’s face burned red in anger. It was...odd.</p>
<p>But Jack was doing fine. Great, even. He made a living off of commissioning artwork on top of designing and painting backdrops and sets at different community theatres across the state, as well as visiting schools and talking about art careers to clueless high school students and excited art teachers (the ones that commissioned him <em> so much </em> that he could sing in joy). He was happy with his life. He didn’t really leave his small town, but he found he didn’t really <em> want to </em>after a while of travelling aimlessly. </p>
<p>Most people came and went in this town, too. Charlie had taken over at the small bakery downtown after finishing culinary school. Race had settled down with Spot back in town after them both returning from college. Albert stayed to teach dance classes at the local studio. Specs was planning on returning after med school to work in the eye clinic just outside of town, and Finch came back from the city to work as a physician assistant in the local hospital just recently. Sarah stayed around and became the high school’s astronomy teacher, and Katherine commuted about an hour out for her job as a reporter. Girls and boys in Jack’s life came and went too, but he wasn’t tied down and he was happy that way. No white picket fence, and that was fine with him. </p>
<p>Then, completely and absolutely out of the blue, David Jacobs was falling back into his life again. And at David’s own divorce party. </p>
<p>Jack started to think the rumors about the husband were true. And those weren’t pretty rumors. They were flashes of his own childhood, with screaming and fighting and a whole lot of <em> hurt. </em></p>
<p>They weren’t pretty. So yeah, he hoped they were wrong. </p>
<p>But a <em> divorce party </em> for someone like David Jacobs, who was the most selfless and humble individual to walk the earth? Maybe the seven years had changed him, but Jack wasn’t sure.</p>
<p>No invitation to the wedding, but one to the divorce party.</p>
<p>He called Sarah to RSVP and interrogated her on the subject, but all she said was the classic runaround, “The guy was an asshole. We’re all glad it’s over. Ask him when he gets in town.” </p>
<p>The alarm bells kept ringing in Jack’s head the entire three weeks before the party.</p>
<p>Charlie got an invitation too, so did most everyone else. They all talked about it in brief, faltering moments, all said they were going, all hoping it wouldn’t be an awkward event. Charlie got him at a time when Jack was alone and asked him what he thought.</p>
<p>“Jesus, I don’t know. It’s been <em> seven years </em> since he came back to town <em> . </em>He just...left, stopped talking to anyone. I don’t know what happened.”</p>
<p>“But you haven’t moved on from him.”</p>
<p>“I…” Jack paused, trying to collect his thoughts. He had, didn’t he? “I deleted all our messages from four years ago, if that counts as moving on.” Charlie rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>“Jack, that doesn’t really count when you still have the pictures he sent you from four years ago saved on your phone. And I know you still look at them all the time. Are you sure you wanna go to his <em> divorce party?” </em></p>
<p>“It might be nice to drop in and say hi. Maybe seeing him will give me some closure, I guess.”</p>
<p>Charlie hummed, clearly not impressed with the response. “Well, is he coming back for good? Sarah wouldn’t tell me.”</p>
<p>“Your guess is as good as mine. I have no idea.”</p>
<p>Charlie looked conflicted. “Just, don’t promise yourself anything too soon, okay? I don’t want you to get hurt even more over this, and David quite literally <em> just </em>got divorced. He might not be emotionally available yet.”</p>
<p>“Alright, Charlie. I wouldn’t have tried anyway.”</p>
<p>“I know you wouldn’t have.”</p><hr/>
<p>Jack pulled to the side of the road in front of the Jacobs house, parked behind what he recognized as Race’s and Spot’s car. The driveway was already flooded with other vehicles and guests piling inside, laughter already echoing through the opened windows. His heart beat rapidly in his chest as he approached the door, forcefully not looking through any of the windows in fear of catching someone’s eye too soon. Jack took a deep breath in an attempt to quell the nerves swelling in his gut, and he knocked on the door.</p>
<p>Sarah answered it and smiled brightly at him, instantly bringing Jack into a hug. </p>
<p>“Hey, Jack,” she said. “How’s everything?”</p>
<p>“Y’know, I’m hangin’ in there,” Jack laughed shakily. </p>
<p>Sarah tilted her head in sympathy. “He’s been asking about you since he got back,” she said quietly. “He really missed you out there. He missed everyone.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” Jack breathed out, surprised.</p>
<p>“Brock did a number on him,” she murmured, eyes heavy. “Just take it easy tonight though, okay? He’s still pretty hurt over it.” Jack could only nod his head in return, following where Sarah’s guiding hand took him.</p>
<p>Then, suddenly, there David was. He was sitting on a swivel stool with a plastic cup on his hand, looking as if he had just attended a funeral. He laughed along to something Race and Charlie had said and accepted Spot’s hand resting on his shoulder, but his eyes were different. Jack could tell they both saw it too, because all three of their faces were pinched under their easygoing smiles.</p>
<p>And David glanced behind Race’s shoulder and was looking right at Jack. He set down his drink and stood up, eyes wide.</p>
<p>“Jack,” he breathed out, hands flexing at his sides like he wasn’t sure what to do with them. </p>
<p>There was no way Jack was over David Jacobs. No way, he thought as he fought back the urge to reach out for one of his fiddling hands.</p>
<p>Jack shoved his hands in his pockets and smiled softly. “Hey, Dave,” Jack answered in return, shuffling on his feet.</p>
<p>David blinked, as if resetting his conscience, and he said, “Do you want something to eat? Or drink? We’ve got hard cider.” Jack wondered who remembered that Jack liked hard cider. He let the thought pass over his head and he accepted the drink.</p>
<p>It was not as traditional of a divorce party, since no one was getting absolutely hammered and it was more everyone catching up with each other than anything. Sure, they passed the food and drinks around (and Les <em>might </em>have snuck a drink or two when his parents weren’t looking), but it was much more tame than Jack would think would fit a normal divorce party. Not that he’d ever been to one before.</p>
<p>“Do you wanna get out of here?” David asked when the party started to die down and the other guests started to leave.</p>
<p>Jack’s brain short-circuited. “Uh, yeah! Sure,” Jack stammered, trying to hide the shock in his voice. </p>
<p>Jack brought them out to his old truck, still parked out on the side of the street and sat quietly, waiting for them. Davey hopped into the passenger’s side, and as Jack started driving he laughed, “I can’t believe you’ve had the same truck since senior year of high school.” He stuck his hand out the window, feeling as the wind cut in between his fingers. “Wow, it’s been seven years with her? Lizzie hasn’t failed you yet?”</p>
<p>Jack tensed behind the wheel. “You remembered her name?”</p>
<p>“Of course I did,” David’s voice became more subdued, making it hard to hear against the rumbling of the truck. “I remember a lot of things about you.”</p>
<p>The lump in Jack’s throat grew. He hoped David hadn’t noticed.</p>
<p>They drove out to the field Jack had taken David to all those years ago on their prom night, this time a little more tense and uncertain. Jack parked the truck way in the center, just as he had done way back then. They climbed out and sat on the hatchback, leaning back to look at the stars, and Jack was so hyperaware of the fact that their fingertips were just barely lingering apart.</p>
<p>The silence between them was strange and foreign, something completely morphed into something darker, something colder. Jack cleared his throat and started. “So, a divorce party? I never really expected you to want to throw one.”</p>
<p>“It was Les and Sarah’s idea. As soon as I told them the news, they wanted to “celebrate” me finally getting rid of Brock,” he snorted. “But they let me have a say in it being as quiet as it was. Les wanted to push us into a bar or a nightclub,” David said. He shuddered at the thought. “But God, was I so stupid right from the start.” The look on his face became cross and self-humiliating. Then, it softened. He took a deep breath. “Jack, I’m so sorry for just disappearing the way I did. There’s no excuse for it, but Brock…” David paused, staring out into the stars like he had done all those years ago, way back in their senior year of high school. His eyes had lost that shine of passion. “Brock got jealous easily.” </p>
<p>Jack’s heart stopped and his body froze, face turning ashen under the pale moonlight. David continued, this time more shakily. “It’s so weird, being here again. Seeing everyone again. I had all new friends out there, and then he wanted me to cut <em> them </em> out too, and then my own <em> family. </em> I…” He paused, shaking his head. “I don’t want to talk about that anymore.” David tucked his chin down into his chest, a thin sheen of tears building over his eyes.</p>
<p>“Okay, that’s okay,” Jack placated gently. Then, he asked tentatively, “How long are you gonna be in town for?” </p>
<p>“David sniffed softly. “I don’t know. I honestly kind of hate it out in the city. It’s just a bunch of steel buildings piled on each other, trash everywhere. There’s not any grass outside of the parks. It’s so different from being home. And there’s nothing out there for me anymore, so…” he trailed off, shuffling his dangling feet on the ground. “I’m just glad you’re here with me again.”</p>
<p><em> I still love you, Dave. </em>That was what Jack wanted to say in return.</p>
<p>Instead, what he said was, “Me too.”</p>
<p>Jack was so screwed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading!<br/>Let me know what you think!<br/>Come yell at me on tumblr @thetruthabouttheboy or my main @querxes</p></blockquote></div></div>
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